CUF Inspira Ambiente

For CUF, good management of available water resources is fundamental, and it has adopted various solutions for water efficiency and reuse in order to reduce consumption without giving up all the necessary measures to guarantee the water’s microbiological safety across its activity.

Highlight:

• Adoption of a stretch of the Sizandro River (Torres Vedras) 

CUF adopted a stretch of the Sizandro River, the tributary Ribeira da Conquinha, in Torres Vedras, in partnership with the City Council of Torres Vedras, which is committed to protecting the environment.

• Implementation of a waste water reuse system at Hospital CUF Tejo

CUF remains committed to the progressive reduction of CO2 emissions, both through increased energy efficiency and through agreements made for electricity supply.

At the same time, it has increased monitoring of its emission sources in order to design carbon footprint reduction projects and to act on the main emission sources.

Highlight:

• Pilot project for recovering anaesthetic gases.
• Creation of a partnership with a photovoltaic solar park to get 100% green energy and reduce CO2 emissions.
• Investment in teleworking and teleconsultations for customers, with a direct impact on emissions by reducing travel.

CUF has intensified efforts to ensure continuous optimisation of energy consumption, in particular with regard to electricity (the main energy source used in CUF hospitals and clinics) and natural gas (the main energy source for heating and hot water production).

Highlight:

• Adoption of a plan to incorporate and acquire renewable energy in CUF hospitals and clinics
• Implementation of energy efficiency mechanisms

CUF, as part of its commitment to environmental sustainability, and in particular in the context of the Corporate Mobility Pact for the City of Lisbon, which it has voluntarily joined, has been developing a number of initiatives in the field of sustainable mobility.

Highlight:

• Encouraging the use of electric cars.
• Promoting the reduction of the number of cars for private use.
• Increased parking for bicycles and motorcycles, for customers and employees, thus promoting the use of more environmentally friendly means of transport.

CUF is committed to reducing its footprint, first and foremost by reducing paper consumption, but also by redirecting this type of waste so that it can be reused. 

Highlight:

• With the My CUF application, we have managed to reduce paper consumption by sending digital information to customers, such as prescriptions, invoices, attendance statements and examination reports.
• Donation of scrap/used paper to the Food Bank, as part of the “Paper for Food” campaign, where all the paper collected is exchanged for food products to be distributed to those most in need.

CUF aims to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

Highlight:

• Elimination of plastic bags: CUF stopped using plastic bags for customers in 2021 and replaced them with paper bags.
• Enhanced training and implementation of internal processes in waste management
• Re-use and donation of goods:
  • Donation of clinical and non-clinical goods to social institutions
  • Donation of used textiles to social economy entities

Combating food waste is one of our lines of action for environmental sustainability, and we have signed the United Against Waste Manifesto in order to publicly record our commitment to combating food waste.

Highlight:

• In our contracts with food service providers, we include an obligation to donate surplus food to social economy entities that work with vulnerable populations.
• In order to reduce food waste in our units and improve the efficiency of managing meals distributed to customers, CUF started a cross-cutting project involving centralised meal production and distribution.